DeltaConsultores - Immigration in Portugal

8/14/2019 DeltaConsultores - Immigration in Portugal

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Immigrant Language Learning

Immigration in Portugal Report presented by DeltaConsultores under the

Socrates Program - Immigrant Language Learning

by

Luisa Falco

Lisboa, February 2002


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Immigration in Portugal

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In 1997, the number of Portuguese emigrants throughout the World surpassed4 million: America (54.3%), Europe (31.3%), Africa (12.4%), Oceania/Australia(1.3%), Asia (0.7%).

Portugal is, currently, one of the countries with most citizens living in theEuropean Union, outside of their country of origin approximately 1 million. InFrance, for example, the Portuguese represent the first foreign nationality.

The national emigratory tradition, although reduced, has not been extinguished.The preferred destinations of the Portuguese are France (25.6%), Germany (24.3%),Switzerland (22.7%), and the United Kingdom (8.8%). This data refers to 1999, year in which temporary emigrants represented more than 85% of total Portugueseemigration.

3. Portugal, a country of immigration within the Euro Zone

From a country of emigration, Portugal has become, over the last decade, acountry of immigration. Until 1980, immigration never reached figures of more than50 thousand residents. Between 1986 and 1997, the number of foreigners doubled,going from 87 thousand to 175 thousand, according to data provided by thePortuguese Immigration and Naturalization Service (Servio de Estrangeiros eFronteiras - SEF ).

Global Evolution

Year # of Residents

1980 50 750

1985 79 594

1990 107 767

1995 168 3161999 190 896

2000 208 198

Residents /sex

0

50.000

100.000

150.000

200.000

250.000

1980 1985 1990 1995 1999 2000

Source: SEF


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31-12-2000

TOTAL M. W.

N % N %

208 198 118 562 56,9 89 636 43,1

Source: SEF

A significant part of the foreigners residing in Portugal are originally fromcountries within the European Union, mainly from the United Kingdom, Spain, andGermany. This immigration is linked to the development of foreign investments, theimplantation of multinationals, and the flow of retirees. European workersconcentrate on scientific professions and on jobs related to services, and many areself-employed. It is expected that many highly qualified professionals will continue toestablish themselves in Portugal, coming from countries within the European Unionwith high unemployment rates, and bringing with them services that are lacking in the

Portuguese market. The case of the doctors coming in from Spain is a paradigmaticexample.

Traditionally, migratory flows derive from the former Portuguese colonies, mainlyfrom the PALOP states (African Countries where Portuguese is the official language).For the most part, this is low qualified labour, included, mostly, into the Constructionand Public Works sector, an area under great development in Portugal. Their number has been increasing progressively. The biggest community of foreign residents inPortugal is from Cape Verde, reporting the following evolution:

M57%

W43%


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Origin: Cape Verde (Afr ica - PALOP)

Year # of Residents1980 21 0221985 24 9591990 28 7961995 38 7461999 43 7972000 47 216

Source: SEF

In the last two years (2000 and 2001), there was a particularly significantincrease in immigrants coming fromBrazil (country where Portuguese is the officiallanguage). A large number of these immigrants join the labour force working in theRestaurant, Construction, and Commerce sectors.

In 2001, we began to see a migratory flow of great quantitive significance,coming from the Eastern European countries . This is mainly qualified and veryqualified labour that is incorporated, for the most part, as undifferentiated labour, in

Construction.

0

10.000

20.000

30.000

40.000

50.000

1980 1985 1990 1995 1999 2000


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Foreign residents in Portugal, by Continent/Country of Origin

as at 31-12-2000 (provis ional figures SEF)

Continent Country # Residents

United Kingdom 14 094Spain 12 189Germany 10 374 56 783

France 7 186

Europe/ EU

Others 12 940Switzerland 1 364Russia 831Norway 509 4 870Bulgaria 376

Europe/Others

Others 1 789Cape Verde 47 216Angola 20 468Guinea-Bissau 16 006 93 838S.Tom Principe 5 488

Africa/PALOP

Mozambique 4 660South Africa 1 871Senegal 480Morocco 443 5 269Tanzania 330

Africa/Others

Others 2 145USA 8 060Canada 2 003 10 259

NorthAmerica

Mexico 196Brazil 22 411Venezuela 3 523Argentina 449 27 638Colombia 251

SouthAmerica

Others 1 004China 3 278India 1 296Pakistan 960 8 734Japan 788

Asia

Others 2 412Australia 472 529OceaniaN.Zealand 57

Stateless 278TOTAL 208 198


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2%

46%

3%

5%

13%

0%

27%

0%4%

Europe / EU

Europa/ Other

Afri ca/ PAL OP

Afri ca/ Other

North America

South America

Asia

Oceania

Stateless

4. Immigrants and the Portuguese labour market

Immigration in Portugal has evolved systematically, due to various factors,amongst which are the economic growth of the last few years and the national labour markets low capacity to respond to growth in its productive activity. In fact, thenational unemployment rate is close to - or coincides punctually with - the naturalunemployment rate, which is not able to satisfy easily job offers. On the other hand,a part of unemployment has structural characteristics, with a strong component of long-term unemployment that affects, most especially, older citizens.

In 2000, the total number of immigrants that were legalized surpassed 200thousand , and it is expected that the definitive figures relative to 2001 point towards

350 thousand .Of the forecast 350 thousand legalized immigrants, it is estimated that the activity

rate associated to them exceeds 60%, with an estimated number of potentially activeimmigrants (employed or not) of around 200 thousand.

The immigration composition, in Portugal, suffered a significant qualitativechange in the last two years. In 1997, immigration originating from the PALOPcountries represented more than 2/3 of the total, while in 2000, it represented littlemore than half. Brazil continues to represent an important entry flow, with significantgrowth during the first few months of 2001. The number of immigrants coming fromEastern Europe, which in 1997 was just beginning, revealed enormous growth in

2001.


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Number of Residency Permits

(Annual flows)

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 *

Origin N % N % N % N % N %

PALOP 2 510 67,4 4 815 35,9 2 294 44,6 10 359 51,8 14 342 12,5Sub-SaharianAfrica

98 2,6 202 1,5 84 1,6 1 401 7,0 2 257 2,0

North Africa 28 0,8 118 0,9 168 3,3 270 1,3 1 746 1,5

Brazil 472 12,7 1 117 8,3 353 6,9 2 348 11,7 21 643 18,8EasternEurope

82 2,2 1 099 8,2 1 077 20,9 3 629 18,1 64 123 55,8

Asia 153 4,1 5 326 39,7 1 036 20,1 1 749 8,7 9 301 8,1TOTAL 3 725 100,

013 400 100,0 5 146 100,0 20 007 100,0 114 996 100,0

* Number of Residency Permits given until 16 November 2001

Source: SEF

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001

PALOPfrica sub-Sah.

frica N

BrasilEuropa Leste

sia

0

10.000

20.000

30.000

40.000

50.000

60.000

70.000

In 2001, immigration was made up primarily by those from Eastern Europeancountries, with immigration originating in the PALOP states loosing relativeimportance.


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This qualitative change in immigration leads to important changes in thecharacteristics of the workers. Thus, their level of education and training is, frankly,superior to the level of the immigrants of African origin. The time periods associatedto the stay of Eastern European immigrants will be predictably more transitory, with amore liquid activity rate also being associated to them. On the contrary, people fromthe PALOP states tend to stay for more prolonged periods and their familycomposition is larger.

Immigrant workers from outside de European Community develop their professional activities primarily in the Construction and Public Works, Industry,Lodging, Restaurant, and Comercial.

The activity sectors where immigrant labour was admitted to be necessary, to2001 and beginning 2002, were: Industrial Cleaning (44%), Construction (38.3%),Agriculture (33.8%), and Restaurant and Lodging (33.2%), with a particular need for the following professions: cleaning people, construction labourers, bricklayers, farmworkers, waiters, and cooks (in: Diagnstico e prospectiva a curto prazo dasnecessidades de mo-de-obra em Portugal - final report, published inDirio daRepblica , November 2001).


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The Lisbon and Tagus Valley region presents the greatest number of workersfrom outside the European Community (59% in total). The Algarve region maintainsde greatest percentage of non-European Community workers relative to the totalnumber of workers within the region (11.6%).

Foreigners by activity sector

(based on r esident permits given in 2001)

Foreigners according to activity sectors

HM H M

% per

sector

% per

gender

% per

gender

Agriculture, cattle breeding,forestry, and fishing

4411 3.7 3242 73.5 1169 26.5

Mining and Quarrying 915 0.8 885 96.7 30 3.3

Manufacturing 17432 14.6 14138 81.1 3294 18.9

Electricity, gas, and water 37 0.0 35 94.6 2 5.4

Construction 48105 40.4 45061 93.7 3044 6.3

Trade and repair 9911 8.3 6450 65.1 3461 34.9

Hotel industry and similar undertakings

13610 11.4 6010 44.2 7600 55.8

Transportation, storage,and communication

1721 1.4 1600 93.0 121 7.0

Banks, insurance, financial markets,and business activities

19064 16.0 12954 68.0 6110 32.0

Public administration andcommunity services

1608 1.3 552 34.3 1056 65.7

Associations, organizations, andrecreational and cultural services

868 0.7 462 53.2 406 46.8

Personal and domestic services, andfamilies with employees

1534 1.3 511 33.3 1023 66.7

TOTAL 119216 100.0 91900 77.1 27316 22.9

Source IGT.

5. Immigration Policy in Portugal: Legal Framework

Decree Law n. 244/98, of 8th August, instituted a new legal system relative toimmigration policy. It regulates the entry conditions, residency, and removal of foreigners from Portuguese territory.

Arising from the free circulation of people from the countries which make up theEU and the Schengen space, this diploma sets up the means for control of migratory


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flows, suiting legislation which was in place at the time, to the norms and measuresapplied within the scope of the international conventions of which Portugal is asignatory State. The goal was to adopt a policy, which promoted the integration of immigrants, defending their fundamental rights, and enabled regulating the admissionof nationals from other countries for purposes of exercising their professionalactivities.

Concretely, the objectives were to:

adopt a new visa system;

simplify the immigrant residency system, limiting the types of permits and reinforcing the rights arising from each;

improve the family regrouping system;

adopt a new legal mechanism supporting the voluntary return of foreigners to their countries of origin, as an alternative to their expulsion:

redefine sentences applicable to crimes of aiding illegalimmigration.

This legal diploma sets forth that the exercise of a salaried profession by citizensfrom non-European Community countries is authorized by the Instituto deDesenvolvimento e Inspeco das Condies de Trabalho (an official organism of the Ministry of Labour), after verifying that the work offer to which they are applyingcannot be fulfilled by community workers or non-European community workers withlegal residency within the country, that have signed up at the Employment Centres.

The Servios de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras (an official organism of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) concedes residency permits and the right to family regrouping. Thisis the organism, which controls entries, residencies, and exits from national territory,of foreigners including nationals from other EU States through the Lodging Bulletinwhich must be necessarily directed to this service.

The evolution of the migratory phenomenon which took place in Portugal, duringthe last few years, led to changes in this legal diploma, giving way toDecree Law n.04/2001 , of 10th January, which meant to regulate migratory flows more efficiently.

This diploma, frequently designated by the Press as the Immigration Law ,determines that the Government, upon the opinion of the Institute for Employmentand Professional Training (Instituto do Emprego e Formao Profissional - an officialorganism of the Ministry of Labour) and having heard the Unions and Employer Associations, should elaborate a report with a yearly forecast of work opportunities(need for labour) and of the sectors in which these exist.

On the other hand, channels of legal economic immigration from the country of origin are privileged, with one-year work visas that may be prorogued for up to 5


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years being conceded, preferentially in accordance with immigration agreements tobe established with these countries in light of the national labour market needs and atthe expense of employers. In 2001, the Portuguese Government celebrated twosuch agreements with Romania and the Russian Federation, and is negotiatingsimilar protocols with Slovenia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Moldavia, and Ukraine.

An agreement of this type already exists, for some years, with Cape Verde.

It is believed that such measures can contribute towards combating the activitiesof the clandestine immigration networks and assure conditions for better integrationof foreign citizens in Portuguese society.

After the publication of the first report of forecast work opportunities, which tookplace in November of 2001, legal access to the Portuguese labour market will beattained through work visas.

The system for concession of residency permits is now of an exceptional nature,and new requests have stopped entering SEF; only cases which are duly justified areadmitted.

The publication of this legal diploma enabled preparing, in 2001, a large scaleoperation for amnesty of illegal immigrants, through the concession of residencypermits to many thousand of foreign citizens, which, not having work visas, couldprove they had a proposed work contract.

Residency Permit s c onceded in 2001

(as at 30 November)

Country of Origin TotalUkraine 42 252Brazil 22 426Moldavia 8 404Romania 6 926Cape Verde 5 174Russia 4 777Angola 4 723China 3 203Guinea Bissau 3 082Pakistan 2 784India 2 670S.Tom Principe 1 506Bulgaria 1 465Others 9 789TOTAL 119 181

Source: SEF


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This operation mobilized, and held co-responsible, employers, which hadlargely, acted illegally.

Residency Permits conceded in 2001, by the Regional Departments

(as at 30 November)

SEF Regional Departments Total

North 18 967

Centre 18 240

Lisbon and Tagus Valley 61 047

Algarve 16 982

Azores 1 447

Madeira 2 498TOTAL 119 181

Source: SEF

Centro15%

Lisboa e Vale doTejo52%

Algarve14%

Aores1%

Madeira2%

Norte16%


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6. The Fundamental Rights of Immigrants

According to the current legislation on Immigration, legalized immigrants benefitfrom integration in the Social Security and Health systems and can fully enjoy their labour rights and duties. They have access to employment education and training(e.g. Programa Entreculturas ), re-location and other social measures likeRendimento Mnimo Garantido . They also have access to integration programmespromoted by the Government, as is the case of the Programme Portugal Acolhelaunched in July 2001, which includes training in basic Portuguese and in Citizenshipand which is available at the official Professional Training Centres that existthroughout the country.

Various Non-Governmental Organizations (ONG), Religious Organizations,Private Institutions of Social Solidarity, and civil society itself, organized aroundchurches, schools, and other types of associations, have been developing activitiesof various natures, mainly training in the Portuguese language especially directedtowards immigrants from Eastern Europe.

The delay in the implementation of immigration policies - geared towards the fullintegration of foreign citizens and their descendents which took place in Portugal,generated complex social situations relatively to this community, particularly with thesecond generations; problems related to poor performance in school, and droppingout of school, crime, and other manifestations, all of which are propitious to socialexclusion.

7. Social Organization of Immigrants

In the Portuguese newspaper stands there are three newspapers, which targetEastern European immigrants, but only one is properly registered at the competentofficial entity (Instituto de Comunicao Social ). This is the weekly newspaper Nasha Gazeta, written in Russian. It includes information on current events, sportsand culture sections, and also a column on the Portuguese language. It costs 0.75euros and 20 thousand copies are printed.

Within the country, there are 15 immigrant associations on a national scope and20 on a local scope that are duly recognized by the High Commission on Immigrationand Ethnic Minorities. Some of these associations have played an important role indefending the rights of immigrants close to the political powers and have developedwork that is of great importance in areas such as education, training, and socialintegration of youths at risk of social exclusion.


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Anexo

Information sources:

VISO magazine, n463, 17 a 23 Janeiro 2002 (EU demographic data);

Jornal Pblico, Destaque, 20 Janeiro 2002;

Censos 2001 - Resultados preliminares, Instituto Nacional de Estatstica; Diagnstico e prospectiva a curto prazo necessidades de mo-de-obra

em Portugal, Coordenao Instituto do Emprego e FormaoProfissional, Junho 2001;

Que emigrao no novo milnio? Ncleo de Planeamento, Servio deEstrangeiros e Fronteiras, Novembro 2000;

Legislation:

Decree-law n. 244/98, 08 de Agosto

Decree-law n. 04/2001, 10 de Janeiro

Resoluo do Conselho de Ministros n. 164/2001, 30 de Novembro

Documentation ACIME Alto Comissrio para a Imigrao e Minoriastnicas;

Servio de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras (statistics);

Inspeco Geral do Trabalho (statistics).


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______________________

Document name: Immigration in Portugal

Project: Immigrant Language Learning

Copyright by all partners : SIGNUM SPRACHENSCHULE, DeltaConsultores,DEMA and Cooperative RES a.r.l. Supported by the Socrates-programme of theEuropean Commission.

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